Many awning structures sold in the United States today are custom manufactured. These custom manufactured awnings are often manufactured and sold by local awning shops. In addition to custom manufactured awnings, there are businesses that manufacture and sell standard awnings including retractable awnings. However, these non-customized awnings are usually sold through mail order and the internet, and are not ordinarily found in conventional retail settings.
Awnings, and particularly retractable awnings, are long and in many cases have a length of 16 feet or longer. That makes awnings in general ungainful and difficult to handle. They are also awkward to package and shipping is relatively expensive. Because of their length, awnings are particularly susceptible to damage during shipment. Because of these factors and considerations, little effort has been made to sell and merchandise awnings in traditional retail outlets.